January 23, 2026
SEOUL – South Korea, Japan and Indonesia remained the world’s three largest K-pop markets in 2025, highlighting the genre’s continued strength in Asia even as it expands globally, according to data released Thursday.
The findings are based on a year-end analysis by K-Pop Radar, a global analytics platform operated by music startup Space Oddity, which tracked artists’ YouTube views from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025, to identify shifts in international K-pop consumption.
While the top three markets remained unchanged from the previous year, notable movement occurred outside the Top 3. The US climbed one spot to fourth place, accounting for 6.25 percent of global K-pop consumption, while India slipped to fifth.
Changes in country-level share are closely watched as indicators of where K-pop’s next phase of growth may emerge. South Korea, the genre’s home market, expanded its share year-on-year, reinforcing its role not only as a production hub but also as a consumption powerhouse.
The US saw one of the most pronounced gains, with its market share rising by nearly one percentage point. The increase suggests that K-pop agencies’ localization strategies and cross-border collaborations are leading to measurable audience growth rather than short-term spikes.
Japan, meanwhile, held onto second place but showed signs of market maturation. Its share declined from 8.44 percent to 7.41 percent, accompanied by a drop in total views — a shift analysts interpret as stabilization rather than contraction.
Outside the top tier, several markets posted notable advances. Taiwan rose for the second consecutive year to ninth place, entering the global Top 10, while the UK jumped sharply to 17th from outside the Top 20. France, Germany and Canada also moved up the rankings, pointing to a broader diversification of K-pop consumption across Western markets.
Domestic charts led by Day6
In Korea, 2025 saw the coexistence of established acts and high-profile returns. Among domestic audiences, Day6 rose from second to first place in popularity, followed by Aespa and IU.
Veteran acts also posted strong gains. G-Dragon recorded the largest year-on-year increase in views — nearly 200 million — ranking fifth overall, while Big Bang placed fourth, signaling renewed domestic attention.
Solo artists made notable strides as well. Woodz ranked 11th overall after adding approximately 160 million views, while Jennie of Blackpink placed 12th, reinforcing the commercial weight of individual branding beyond group activities.
In the US market, Stray Kids maintained the top spot with an 8.63 percent share. Katseye posted the largest growth, adding roughly 260 million views and ranking third overall.
The UK market showed an even clearer frontrunner. Rose of Blackpink captured 11.63 percent of total K-pop views, ranking first both in overall share and year-on-year growth. Katseye also placed among the top performers, highlighting growing competition in English-speaking markets.
Taiwan, which entered the Top 10 after two consecutive years of growth, was led by girl group I-dle, with a 5.69 percent share of total views. Analysts showed that a modest decline in the group’s share appeared to shift toward G-Dragon and Big Bang, which ranked first and second, respectively, in year-on-year growth within the market.